I quickly dry her clothes using wind magic while she wears my cloak "Honestly, why are you the one who's flustered?" Unbelievable.

"Put your clothes on and turn around," I order her, but she just laughs at me but does eventually turn around.

I take off my clothes and dry them as quickly as possible. Whilst drying I realized something.

"Don't turn around. But why aren't you surprised that I'm able to use magic?" As far as I know, this side of the planet has no clue of actual real magic or how to use it.

"Hm I've heard stories before so it's not all that surprising." A totally abnormal response, a normal person would accuse me of witchcraft and call out for help.

"Another question, why aren't you scared of me? Weren't you taught not to be too trusting of men" She lets out an irritating little chuckle as if it was obvious.

"We saw what happened when you pointed your sword at me. I mean sure, with you knowing magic it may have been more difficult if you had used it, but now that I know that you're capable of using it, I'd win comfortably." Little obnoxious brat. If I was my old self my pride would've taken a huge hit.

"Anyways, another question-" she cuts me off and turns around just as I put my shirt on.

"To pass the time while also getting to know each other let's play a game." She gestured for me to take a seat. More importantly, how did she know when to turn around… certainly can't be that she was sneaking a peek, I was watching her the entire time. Two possibilities, it was a coincidence or she somehow noticed even though I made zero noise… or was I rusty and actually made noise?

The most likely explanation is that it was just a coincidence and she was being obnoxious again.

"What game?" I decided to indulge in her game since I had nothing better to do.

"It's very simple. I ask a question, you answer, you ask me a question, and then I answer. You have to be as honest as possible and you can refuse to answer only once."

"And you can't ask the same question, but in a different way because that's lame." There goes one of my strategies, she really thought it through.

"Alright, then you start." I cross my legs and lean back against the wall I created.

"Where are you from?"

"a country west of here." She wasn't quite satisfied with the answer, but she didn't press on.

It was my turn now "How is your family?"

"Dead." She answered with no change in her expression. Quite a depressing answer, but I should've expected a similar answer.

"How is your family?" She turned the question around on me.

"They don't want anything to do with me."

"Do you happen to be of noble blood?"

"I don't know."

"Mind expanding on that?"

"If you want you can ask that on your next question. Now it's my turn." A real stickler for rules.

"What's your preferred type of woman?" I was really taken aback.

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"I have none." She seemed to be intrigued. I'm just not in a position in life where I can have a healthy relationship so I haven't really given that much thought about that kind of stuff.

"Now mind expanding on your last answer?"

"Okay fine, I don't know either of my parents so they may be of nobility or not. I simply don't know."

"Anyways so are you into men?" I thought about just ending the game right then and there.

"No." She laughs, she knew she succeeded at annoying me.

"Why are you aiming for the throne?" I decided to change the subject fast before she could say anything else.

"To fulfill a dream or what you might call a prophecy." A prophecy? But there shouldn't be a prophet on this side of the world.

"Could you teach me magic? Even the most simple of spells could be a lifesaver."

"Finally a serious question. Sure, if you are able to, I have no problem teaching you, but if you get accused of being a witch, then forget that you even met me." She laughs, hm maybe I wasn't as bad as I thought at jokes.

"Why are you using the name Pandres?" This'll be the last time I'll ask this question since she clearly doesn't want to answer.

"Because I like it." I see, I made a mistake I should've worded it better. I had wanted her to use her one refusal.

"So what do you do in your free time?"

"Train my body and plan out stuff, but recently I've just been walking mindlessly."

Sorry to disappoint, but from there on questions were more tame and we just got to know each other. We didn't use any of our refusals because there was no need for it. Turns out she's 19, she likes to cook but says she's been told she just doesn't have the knack for it, swings her sword when she's frustrated and loves to listen to folktales.

After an hour or so of questions I let out a yawn, guess you can't escape the grasp of sleep no matter how much you distract yourself "Sorry, but I'm a bit exhausted from using magic." She stood up and stretched her arms.

"Alright, sorry for keeping you awake." Now she seemed very different than the girl I talked to in the rain. She's more normal in a sense.

"No, it's fine. I enjoyed talking to you." and with that my eyes fluttered shut, using the little magic I had stored really sucked out my energy.

I had mostly avoided sleeping because I would always have that disturbing dream, but today it didn't come.

I was floating in the same void as usual, but there was no room filled with paintings or anything similar. I thought it just skipped that part, but there was no sense of vulnerability. I was just floating there.

Then I felt a presence, though my eyes saw nothing there was most definitely something there and so I called out "Hello?" But there was no immediate response.

"Odd." Suddenly those came out and echoed around me. It was a voice that you would liken to a god, but it just didn't feel right.

"Who are you?" As I ask, I look down at my body and nothing looked out of the ordinary other than I'm completely naked… this thing is a pervert!

"Not important and I'm not in control of how you look."

'Pretty sure that's the most important part, idiot.' I Imagine my clothes and they appear.

"It's not." So it can read my thoughts, which makes sense since this is my dream… but if it's my dream then I should be all-powerful in here?

"Not how it works."

'Okay then whatever, if you have nothing to say other than your simple answers then be gone.'

"Okay." Then the presence was gone, just like that.

'What did it say at the start… Odd? The only odd thing is that there's someone else in my head! Hold on that's actually very concerning. But It didn't feel sinister nor did it feel holy. Could it just be something that I imagined? But I would surely know if that was the case.'

'Anyways this whole thing is not normal, that dream didn't come this time.'

But there was a silver lining, I finally had some peace of mind.

I close my eyes and relax.

…

'This doesn't feel comfortable. Not at all.'

Argh why am I like this?! Can't I just relax?

'Fine, I'll just think of what I should do next when I wake up.'

'What if I try this?' I imagined a stage and it appeared.

'I am all-powerful in here, that liar.'

I create a seat for myself and start planning and whatever I picture in my thoughts appears on stage.

While thinking I hear a loud clang, looking around there was nothing so I just ignored it and continued.

________________________________

It's very weird, he looks dead, but I know for a fact he's alive.

Anyways I don't really feel tired so I'll just go walking around… never mind I'll just stay put till the rain goes away.

"Well, this isn't good." I grab my sword and swing it toward the spot beside me.

There's nothing there, but I swear I heard someone right there. I stand up and look around, but there really was no one.

"You know it's very dangerous to swing those sharp things at people." Suddenly my sword gets knocked out of my hand and lands on the ground with a loud clang.

I jump back to where my sword landed while looking in the direction of the voice, it came from a deeper part of the alleyway and two red orbs were shining through the darkness.

"Come out." I pick up my sword and the source of the voice finally comes out of the shadows.

"I'm not looking for a fight." It was a man with long black hair that came down his shoulders, red eyes, missing an arm, no visible weapons and his clothes were those of nobles, but the thing that stood out the most was his aura, my instincts were telling me to run.

"Don't come any closer!" I take my eyes off of him and glance at Sebastian, but he was still asleep.

"Don't worry, as I said I'm not here to fight." He puts his hand up and looks at Sebastian.

"I just came to check in on him and it turns out my biggest worry came true." I get into stance, my gut tells me if he comes forward a single step I'd be within his reach.

"And what would that be?" Maybe if I heard him out he would leave without a fight.

"That you two would meet." I gesture for him to continue.

"You see, he's not what he tells you he is. He isn't someone you can trust."

"So what? It's not like I trust him, this is a give-and-take type of relationship. No trust involved." Obviously, I didn't trust him, I mean I just met him.

"You're misunderstanding. He is someone that just being around means you'll end up dead." He points to his missing arm.

"This was a result of being around him, if I had listened and trusted him I wouldn't be here today." I stay silent.

"And him meeting you was the worst possible outcome, I know this may sound ridiculous to you, but it was foretold that you are meant to achieve great things and so I was sent to make sure you didn't meet."

"And so I advise you to cut all ties and keep on your original path."

"You're telling me that it was foretold by some kind of prophet?" He smiles and relaxes his posture.

"I can't go into details, but yes, something similar." I relax my body.

'Prophets. I knew I'd come across them someday.'